Needham dedicates renovated Newman Elementary School
Representatives from the Massachusetts School Building Authority, town and school officials, and former principals and staff gathered at Newman Elementary School in Needham this afternoon to dedicate the building, which recently underwent extensive renovations.
Assistant Principal Gregory Bayse said the bulk of the project’s $27.4 million “was spent on things you can’t see,” including a new heating system and the building’s first air conditioning system. Other projects included refurbishing the main office, cafeteria, kitchen, auditorium, and electrical system, and updating classrooms with new technology, like interactive SmartBoards.
“It raises everyone’s comfort level,” Bayse said of the improvements. The school, which opened in 1960, had been used as a junior high school and state police barracks before it became an elementary school. As the largest elementary school in the city, it currently serves students in preschool, kindergarten, and grades 1 through 5, and also houses the Needham Science Center.
During the 2011-2012 school year, classes were held in modular classrooms at the Newman campus and Pollard Middle School, while Newman’s classrooms were being redesigned. The common spaces like the cafeteria and hallways were still used during the year, so a majority of the work had to be done quickly over the summer.
“It’s nice to have everyone back together all under one roof,” Bayse said. “It’s a great building.”
State treasurer Steven Grossman, MSBA executive director Jack McCarthy, Needham School Committee chair Heidi Black, Permanent Public Buildings Committee chair George Kent, Needham Board of Selectmen chair Jerry Wasserman, Needham superintendent Dan Gutekanst, and Newman principal Jessica Peterson were scheduled to speak at a formal reception at noon. The 5th grade chorus spent the morning practicing songs they planned to perform at the ceremony.
One notable attendee at the open house Thursday morning was former Newman principal Robert Abbey, who retired in 2006. Abby took a tour of the building, frequently stopping into classrooms to say hello to students and faculty members, many of whom he hired during his tenure, Bayse said.
The state provided $8.5 million toward the project, while Needham voters passed a tax override to fund the remaining costs. The project was sparked by the discovery of extensive debris in the school’s 48-year-old ductwork, found after the heating and ventilation system failed in 2007. The new HVAC system replaces a temporary system put in place in 2009.
In addition to the building renovations, the Needham community, led by Newman parents and students, raised around $250,000 to redesign the school’s playground, which had fallen into disrepair over the years. The new structure includes two slides, swings, and four basketball hoops. The ground underneath the jungle gym will be laid with turf, similar to that used on football and soccer fields, though its installation was delayed by rain.
The rest of the afternoon’s celebration was scheduled to include a school- and community-wide honorary ceremony for former Newman principals, class reunions, and other community-building events for the students and public.
Laura Franzini can be reached at laura.franzini@globe.com.
Forum on building a transnational community in Needham
The Guatemala Partnership of the Congregational Church of Needham will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the partnership between the church and Santa Maria Tzejá with a forum on "Building a Transnational Community."
The forum will be held on Saturday, Oct. 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the church, 1154 Great Plain Avenue, Needham, according to a press release about the event.
Following the forum, "Dessert, Dancing, and Despedida" will be held from 7 to 9 p.m., with games for children, ice cream sundaes, and dancing for all.
The goal of the forum is to share ideas that promote social justice, discuss the impact this unique partnership has had on the two communities, and explore where the partnership is headed in the future.
The forum's general session, 9 to 10 a.m., focuses on celebrating a transnational community between people of different cultural, ethnic, economic, and political backgrounds. The speakers are:
- Paula Worby, associate director of the Multicultural Institute in Berkeley, CA. She worked for over a decade with the United Nations' High Commission for Refugees in Guatemala.
- Ross Lohr, director of the Newton Tanzania Collaborative. Since 2006, the NTC has worked to improve educational opportunities for Tanzanian children through participatory development initiatives and relationship building between schools and communities in the United States and Tanzania.
- Jim Wallace, a founder of the Cambridge Sister City Project. Since 1987, the city of Cambridge and San José las Flores in El Salvadore have worked together for human rights, social justice, and cultural exchange.
- Clark Taylor, retired professor from the College of Public and Community Service at UMass Boston, co-founder of the Guatemala Partnership, author of several books about politics and rebuilding communities in Guatemala, and a member of the Needham Congregational Church.
Attendees will have a choice of three themes, each offering three sessions. Sessions will be at 10:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m., and 1:45 a.m.
- Building a transnational community
o Celebrating a 25-year partnership: Santa María Tzejá perspective
o Celebrating a 25-year partnership: Needham Congregational Church perspective
o Anticipating the next 25 years in a maturing transnational community
- Promoting peace and justice
o External Threats and the Response of a Courageous Community
o Standing in Solidarity
o Immigrants by Choice?
- Experiencing Santa María Tzejá
o A Virtual Visit to the Village
o Guatemala’s Markets and Crafts
o Rehearse for the Despedida (farewell celebration)
The program is designed for broad appeal--from people who have visited the village to people who wish to learn more about Guatemala and the church's partnership. The forum is designed for people of middle school age and older.
The $15 forum registration fee includes snacks, beverages, and lunch. To register online, visit www.guatepartnershipforum.EventBrite.com.
The "Dessert, Dancing, and Despedida" is free and for all ages. Ice cream sundaes will be provided, as will games for children. If possible, bring a dessert to share.
Laura Franzini can be reached at laura.franzini@globe.com.
Needham doctor pleads guilty to illegally prescribing controlled substances
The following is a release from the office of Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone:
Kathaleen Porter, 61, of Needham Heights, pleaded guilty Friday in Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn to charges of illegally prescribing controlled substances (six counts) and furnishing false information in an application. Middlesex Superior Court Judge Merita Hopkins sentenced the defendant to two years in the house of correction, which was suspended to five years probation including house arrest for one year. The judge ordered the following conditions of probation: during house arrest the defendant is allowed to leave the home only to transport her minor child, go to doctor’s appointments and religious services; must complete 100 hours of community service; and commit no crimes. As a condition, the defendant surrendered her medical license and DEA license. She is prohibited from re-applying for a medical license or a DEA license in Massachusetts or any other state.
“This defendant, a registered and licensed doctor, deliberately failed to address her patients’ needs in a medically responsible manner, causing them to develop crippling addictions to prescription drugs,” District Attorney Leone said. “By pleading guilty, the defendant has taken responsibility for jeopardizing the health of her patients by feeding their addictions with no legitimate medical purpose. We commend the Massachusetts State Police’s Drug Diversion Unit, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Unit, and the members of the Middlesex District Attorney Office’s PACT Unit whose great collaborative work allowed us to hold the defendant accountable.”
According to authorities, in the winter of 2009, the Massachusetts State Police Diversion Unit received a complaint from a pharmacy in Framingham regarding the amount of prescriptions for Percocet being filled by a certain customer. Upon further inquiry into these prescriptions, State Police discovered that the patient was utilizing approximately 12 different pharmacies to fill prescriptions, but would not utilize the pharmacy closest to his home. State Police began an inquiry to determine who was writing the prescriptions or if they were forgeries. Through surveillance and interviews they learned that the patient was receiving signed prescriptions for Percocet from Dr. Kathaleen Porter.
At approximately the same time, the Unites States Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Unit was investigating the staggering amount of prescriptions for Percocet being written by Porter. A continuation of the investigation revealed that the defendant was a surgeon who practiced in the town of Natick and usually conducted surgical procedures at Metro-West Hospital. The investigation revealed that Porter had three patients who were receiving an alarming amount of Percocet prescriptions. During the years 2007, 2008 and 2009, each patient would receive prescriptions from Porter for large amounts of Percocet pills.
During the investigation, Porter admitted to being the surgeon for the three named patients and prescribing the pills. Additionally, she admitted that she had not physically examined nor properly viewed the patients for a year and a half while prescribing the Percocet. Each patient confirmed that they would simply call Porter’s phone and ask for the Percocet, they would sometimes direct her as to how much to give them and how many prescriptions they would need. Porter would then, without seeing the patient, write the prescription and tape it to her closed office door. The three patients would pick up the prescriptions and fill them at various pharmacies. Each patient confirms that they are drug dependant and are seeking treatment and sobriety. The total amount of pills for all three patients was tens of thousands of Percocet pills.
Porter was not billing any insurance company or Mass Health, however, her unrelated surgical actions were under review by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine since 2007. During her application for renewal of her DEA license to handle controlled substances, which includes prescribing, she falsely stated that there was no action pending regarding her state license.
The defendant was indicted by a Middlesex grand jury on August 16, 2011. She was arraigned in Middlesex Superior Court on September 1, 2011 where Judge Bruce Henry released the defendant with the conditions that she surrender her Schedule II Drug Enforcement Administration License, ordered not travel outside of New England without prior court approval, ordered to surrender her passport, ordered not commit any new offenses, and required to update the Department of Public Health with respect to her new license status.
This case was investigated by the Massachusetts State Police’s Diversion Unit, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s Diversion Unit and the Middlesex District Attorney Office’s PACT Unit.
The prosecutor assigned to this case is Assistant District Attorney Elisha Willis.
Shuffling in the boys' soccer Top 20, but teams remain the same
The teams in the top half of the boys' soccer Top 20 poll remain the same for the most part with St. John's Prep taking a leap over a few teams after a three-win week moves them up from seventh to fourth.
Acton-Boxboro, the only new team on the Top 10, leaps North Andover after another quality week that included a tie against No. 7 Concord-Carlisle.
Some former unbeatens took big hits and slipped down the rankings with Danvers having the biggest drop from No. 9 to No. 19 after an 0-2-1 week.
Oliver Ames also lost twice, moving them from No. 12 to No. 18 and Nauset caught a tough loss against rival Sandwich, sinking them to No. 15.
No new teams breached the Top 20 poll this week, but that could all change with one shot as we hit the all-important stretch run of the season.
Friends of Needham Elderly to hold fundraiser for Senior Center
With Needham’s new Senior Center under construction at Needham Heights, the Friends of Needham Elderly are holding a fundraiser on Oct. 17 at the Needham Golf Club to help support enhancements and amenities not part of the construction budget.
The Friends have established an “enrichment fund” to raise $600,000 for extra equipment. The fundraiser will help them reach their goal.
A press release for the event promises “a fun-filled evening – with a few surprises.”
There will be live and silent auctions, special guest servers, hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar at the event, which will run from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Golf Club.
Needham Bank is sponsoring the fundraiser.
Space is limited, so reservations are required. Tickets are $50 per person and can be reserved by contacting Colleen Schaller at 781-444-8367 or bampy4@verizon.net. For more information please go here.
The Golf Club is located at 49 Green Street.
Needham hearing to discuss three Community Preservation Act projects
The Needham Community Preservation Committee is holding a Public Hearing on Oct. 10 to discuss three projects on the Special Town Meeting warrant that will be paid for with Community Preservation Act funds if they pass.
The projects, which the Board of Selectmen discussed on Tuesday night, include funding a Rail Trail feasibility study, funding construction of a home for people with disabilities, and repairing Greene’s Field.
The CPA program allows cities and towns to assess a property-tax surcharge of up to 3 percent to pay for open space, recreation, affordable housing, and historical preservation projects, with the money raised locally supplemented by state matching funds.
This fiscal year, which started on July 1, the program was overhauled: now, CPA funds can also be used to rehabilitate recreational assets that were not originally acquired or created with CPA money.
Until the change was made, Greene’s Field repairs were not covered by the CPA. Warrant Article 10 requests $445,000 to renovate the field and replace the playground structure on the field that was removed in 2010. Those funds will be supplemented by $50,000 of privately fundraised money.
“I know this board is in favor of this,” said Selectman John Builan on Tuesday. “It will be a great economic engine for this town. It brings kids, it brings people. Nothing brings me greater pleasure than seeing the town bustling.”
“It’s a great example of why this law needed to be changed,” said Jerry Wasserman, Chair of the Board.
The proposed project, a detailed description of which can be found in the Board of Selectmen Agenda Packet from Oct. 2., would include a play structure for multiple age groups, a walking path, basketball court improvements, backstop and benches, among other things.
More than $8,000 has already been raised to fund the renovation.
If the article passes in Town Meeting, the project could be implemented in the spring of 2013.
The second CPA warrant article requests funding to help the Charles River Association for Retarded Citizens, Inc. build a five-bedroom home on South Street for adults with developmental disabilities. The original request asks for $500,000, but additional funds called HOME Funds have become available from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Planning Board will hold a public meeting on Oct. 16 to discuss whether to allocate $280,000 to the Charles River Project, which would drop the CPA’s obligation to $220,000.
The project is set to break ground this winter.
The final CPA article requests $35,000 for a Rail Trail feasibility study. The town has been discussing the possibility of a rail trail from Needham Junction to the Dover line at the Charles River for several years, and discussions are underway in Dover and Medfield to build connecting sections. The feasibility study would look at safe access points, assess the timber bridge crossing the Charles River, and evaluate parking.
The Board of Selectmen has not yet voted on whether they support the three CPA articles.
The Special Town Meeting will be held on Oct. 29.
The Public Hearing will be held at Needham Town Hall in the Selectmen’s Chambers. Anyone with questions should call 781-455-7550x3.
Evan Allen can be reached at evan.allen@globe.com
Woman, 93, crashes car into Needham office building, causing gas leak and evacuation
A 93-year-old Natick woman crashed her car into an office building at 60 Dedham Ave. in Needham on Thursday morning, causing a major gas leak that required the evacuation of nearby businesses and daycares, according to Needham Police and Fire Departments.
“If you saw the scene, you’d say, ‘Wow, this person should probably have been hurt a lot worse than she was,’” said Needham Fire Chief Paul Buckley.
At around 10 a.m., the woman was apparently pulling into a parking spot, he said, when she shot forward into another car, and hit a concrete barrier protecting the gas meter on the building, said Buckley. She tipped the barrier over, which Buckley said is tough to do, and hit the gas meter, which broke from the gas line and released high-pressure gas into the air.
She then put the car in reverse and backed up, hitting two more parked cars and sending one of them crashing through a fence and into a telephone pole, said Buckley.
“I can’t speak to what happened to her,” said Buckley of how the accident occurred. “We may never know.”
The woman was taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham with minor injuries, according to a Needham Police Department press release.
People inside the building, which houses several businesses, said they could smell the gas as it poured out, and workers began running office to office telling people to evacuate.
“We heard the gas leak hiss, that’s all we heard,” said Shuaib Raza, owner of A Dent Restoration, Inc., which is in the basement of 60 Dedham Ave. “People started screaming, ‘Get out, get out.’”
The entire office building plus about eight other nearby businesses were evacuated, said Buckley.
There are two churches, First Baptist Church and First Church of Christ Scientist, right down the street, said Buckley, and both run daycare centers. Those churches were evacuated and the children taken to the nearby YMCA, he said.
“If it had been 8:30 in the morning [when the accident happened] with a lot of kids getting dropped off to daycare, we could have had a true tragedy on our hands,” said Buckley.
Steve Buttrick, owner of CertaPro Painters, a business in the basement of 60 Dedham Ave., was feeling lucky on Thursday afternoon, even though his PT Cruiser was the first car to be hit.
“I decided at the last minute to park in that spot rather than one closer to the building,” he said. “Ten minutes later, she hit it. If she had not hit my car, she probably would have hit the meter full-force, and potentially caused an explosion, which would have taken out the building.”
His car is not badly damaged, he said, though it was spun 90 degrees and wound up about 30 feet from where he parked.
“I’m glad I was parked where I was,” he said. “It may have saved her life, and certainly the lives of the people that were in that corner of the building.“
Buckley said it was entirely possible that if the woman hadn’t been slowed by Buttrick’s car, the accident could have been much worse.
“If she had hit it harder, she could have ended up with her car on top of the broken gas pipe, which would have ignited,” he said.
NStar shut off the gas main, according to a spokesman for the company. By about 11 a.m., people were allowed to return to their homes and businesses, and the road was reopened, according to police.
The driver will be cited for traffic offenses and an Immediate Threat report will be filed with the state Registry of Motor Vehicles, according to police.
“It was pretty scary,” said Raza. “I have my business here, I have my very expensive equipment. God forbid it catches fire, I’ll lose everything… One minute you’re fine, and the next minute, it’s gone.”
Evan Allen can be reached at evan.allen@globe.com
Bank robberies and fires? Needham Historical Society plans History Walk for Oct. 14
Ever heard of the Needham Bank Robbery? Know the story behind the Odd Fellows’ Fire?
All those familiar Needham haunts you thought you knew will on Oct. 14 be revealing their 300-year history, with the Needham Historical Society’s History Walk.
The Historical Society will set up signs highlighting specific landmarks and their history throughout town, and along the route are six Hubs, where speakers will be stationed to tell stories and answer questions.
There will be a Scavenger Hunt for children, and people who answer questions along the walk can win prizes. Scavenger Hunt lists can be picked up at the Hubs.
For Needhamites who have done the walk in the past, there is a new loop this year – the Needham Heights Loop, where walkers can learn about knitting mills, the original public library, and Needham’s first telephone.
The walk is sponsored Needham Bank and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital – Needham, and lasts from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
More information can be found here. http://needhamhistory.org/calendar-events/historywalk/
A map can be found here. http://needhamhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Walk-Map-20122.pdf
The Historical Society’s Facebook page can be found here. http://www.facebook.com/NeedhamHistoricalSociety
Evan Allen can be reached at evan.allen@globe.com
A Chair to Remember, a night to remember
From Devra Bailin, Director of Economic Development for the town of Needham:
Last Saturday night, the Needham community gathered in the festooned James Hugh Powers Hall, surrounded by the unique Adirondack chairs of “A Chair to Remember” and the music of our own talented High School musicians, and celebrated the collaborative effort of our local merchants, restaurateurs, and community groups who purchased the chairs and of our local artists who designed and painted them.
Together over thirty volunteers and three-hundred residents came together to celebrate the joy of art and giving back. The event, sponsored by the Needham Merchants Association and Needham Restaurant Association in partnership with the Needham Business Association (“NBA”), resulted in significant funds being raised for Needham High School scholarships for students who intend to study art or business, as well as Town beautification projects throughout the coming year. The totals raised far exceeded expectations.
While waiting to buy tickets and registering for their bidding numbers and catalogues, guests were entertained by the music of Needham students’ jazz combo GROBY. The second floor hallway to Powers Hall was laid out with tables of wine, beverages, appetizers and desserts generously donated by Coca Cola Refreshments, Natural Spring Water, Georgia Ligris and Georgia Giannopolous, Acme Ice, Food Should Taste Good, Not Your Average Joe’s, Sweet Basil Restaurant, Hazel’s Bakery, Baker’s Best Catering, Avery Manor, Treat Cupcake Bar, and Subway.
Over forty Silent Auction chairs, together with other specially donated items, ringed Powers Hall, where the music of James Fernando and Isaac Levien quietly serenaded bidders. The Hall was beautifully appointed with plants and flowers from Hillcrest Gardens.
Bidding was robust and people repeatedly circled the Hall from 6:00 to 7:30, hoping to win favorites. The Silent Auction, which was closed at 7:30, resulted in numerous chairs meeting or exceeding the $500 mark.
The real fun began as bidders took their seats for the much anticipated Live Auction, hosted by Needham’s own Susan Wornick, WCVB reporter.
With charm, wit and cajoling, Ms. Wornick was able to garner considerable contributions for the Live Auction Specialty items. She was awarded for her efforts with an Adirondack Chair of her own, sponsored by the Needham Children’s Center and painted by artist Gina McClellan.
The event was a fun community event, which should not have been missed. Many retired from Town Hall to continue the fun by dining at one of Needham’s many wonderful restaurants.
The Auction was the kickoff event of the Discover Needham Local First campaign, a campaign to raise awareness of the unique economic and social benefits of purchasing goods and services from locally owned independent businesses and of the unique characteristics and opportunities provided in our wonderful retail, service and restaurant establishments.
The Auction would not have been possible but for the generous support of Platinum Sponsor Roche Bros., Gold Sponsor Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Needham, Gold Sponsor Needham Bank, Silver Sponsor Wingate at Needham, and Event Sponsor Middlesex Savings Bank and all of the volunteers from the Needham Merchants Association, Needham Restaurant Association, Needham Business Association, and the Town of Needham, who generously donated time, services, and products to this community effort.
I encourage you to give back to the business community which provides so much to us---shop, dine, Discover Needham.
Needham eyes harsher penalties for public marijuana smoking amid debate over medical use
As Massachusetts voters mull the possibility of legalizing medical marijuana, Needham officials have drafted a proposal for a bylaw that would increase fines for consuming marijuana in public.
The proposed bylaw, say proponents, would send a message to the town’s teenagers that marijuana is still illegal.
“We’re not trying to design this to weaken medical marijuana, we were trying to design this to make sure there’s clear guidelines on what’s permissible in public spaces,” said Jane Fogg, a doctor and Needham Board of Health member who has worked on the proposal. “We have no desire to comment on what people do in the privacy of their home.”
The proposed bylaw has been in the works for about two years and is not a direct response to November’s ballot question on whether to legalize medical marijuana, but the question gave the effort new urgency.
The bylaw, a which was included in a Board of Selectmen agenda last month, is being proposed by the Board of Health, the Police Department, the Public Health Department and the Needham Coalition for Youth Substance Abuse Prevention.
Proponents say they hope to get the bylaw onto the Town Meeting warrant next year. The Board of Selectmen have not yet taken a position on it, according to chairman Jerry Wasserman.
If the bylaw passes, a person caught consuming marijuana in public could be hit with a criminal complaint and a fine of $300 or a citation with a fine of $200 for each offense, according to the law, in addition to penalties that already exist.
In 2008, Massachusetts voters approved a ballot initiative that decriminalized possession of small quantities of marijuana. Currently, possession of an ounce or less is punishable by a $100 fine.
If the medical marijuana question passes, qualifying patients will be allowed to posses a 60-day supply of marijuana for personal medical use. In 2013, there could be no more than 35 nonprofit treatment centers, with at least one but no more than five in each county. Patients unable to make it to the centers would, under certain circumstances, be allowed to cultivate their own marijuana.
Supporters of the ballot question say that medical marijuana has the potential to help thousands of people battling cancer, AIDS, Crohn’s disease and other painful illnesses.
The question stipulates fines or jail time for people caught abusing the law, and it does not allow users to consumer marijuana in public.
Still, officials in Needham worry that the combination of easier access to the drug and the perception that, as a medicine, it is not dangerous, will lead to blasé attitudes among the town’s teenagers. Marijuana use appears to be rising in Needham’s public schools, according to a report accompanying the bylaw in town materials, which cites school incident reports and student feedback.
According to Needham Police Lieutenant Chris Baker, since marijuana was decriminalized, police have seen an uptick in marijuana possession. Since decriminalization took effect in 2009, he said in an email, the Needham Police have cited 162 people for possession of less than one ounce of marijuana, as of August of this year. In the four years before decriminalization, he said, police arrested or summonsed 46 people for possession of marijuana.
He declined to speculate on what police expect if medical marijuana is legalized.
“Marijuana needs to be respected for both its dangers and its benefits,” said Fogg. “It’s not a highly dangerous drug, but addiction occurs, secondhand smoke and carcinogen exposure are real dangers, and can’t be taken lightly.”
As November draws closer, towns across the MetroWest area have reacted differently to the possibility of legalized medical marijuana.
In some towns, officials haven’t even discussed it.
“It hasn’t even been on the radar,” said Belmont Board of Health Chair David Alper. They’re waiting to see if the law passes, he said, though it will be a topic of discussion at the next Board of Health meeting. “We don’t want to come out and take a firm position plus or minus if it’s a nonissue.”
Town governments in Brookline and Wellesley too, have been quiet.
“We have lots of things to work on, and frankly the issue has not even come up,” said Wellesley Executive Director Hans Larsen.
But in other towns, youth organizations, especially, are concerned about how the passage of the question would affect teenagers.
Natick Together for Youth, a drug-free community coalition affiliated with Natick Public Schools, is remaining neutral on whether the question should pass, but Project Director Erica Dinerman said coalition members are worried about what message the passage would send to youth.
“I guess I would echo the concerns of Needham, just based on how the law is written, and what the regulations are around how it’s gonna be monitored, and how that will affect youth access,” said Dinerman. “Since marijuana was decriminalized, youth in particular are confused about what that means, and confused about legality… kids will say that marijuana is legal.”
The coalition is not taking a position on the question, she said, and is instead trying to educate the public about what its passage would mean, letting people make their own decisions.
Since marijuana was decriminalized in 2008, according to Needham officials, more than 80 towns and cities have increased the fine for public consumption.
“It doesn’t make it criminal, it just bumps up the fine,” said Fogg. “One hundred dollars did not feel like it was dissuading people.”
Officials are not trying to squash medical marijuana, she said. Rather, they are trying to ensure that public spaces stay marijuana-free.
“We expect [that if medical marijuana is legalized] there will be more availability of marijuana for both legitimate medical users, patients, as well as people who are not legitimate,” she said. “If somebody has a card for medical marijuana and is smoking on their property, that is perfectly fine. If they went to the middle of town in the Fourth of July parade, and they were smoking in public, that is an intoxicant, and not appropriate.”
Evan Allen can be reached at evan.allen@globe.com
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